“Incubus” – A Folklore Demon Wreaks Mental Havoc In The Real World – Horror Shorts Review

Women love a sick child or a healthy animal; A man who is both itches them like an incubus.

~ Marilyn Hacker

The word incubus comes from the Latin verb incubare, meaning “to lie down upon”. The name lives on in folklore as a male demon who attacks women in their sleep. The story of this demon creature is the backdrop to the startling visceral film, “Incubus”, by writer and director, Tito Fernandes, now streaming on Alter’s YouTube channel. The aftermath of one of the worst situations that can happen, especially to a woman, is told in a deeply immersive way.

There has never been a better time to tell challenging and difficult stories of your own. Consider submitting a script to the next Killer Shorts Horror Short Screenplay Competition.

*Please note that the subject matter of this film includes sexual assault and self-harm.  

The Plot

A young woman, Mary, is walking down a treelined path, mist all around her. A jogger passes her, and she instinctively pulls away from the trail to avoid him. She heads toward a house barge on the water and climbs to its depths. The interior is just as dim and haunting as the path that brought her to this place.

Mary crumples and throws a piece of paper off to the side as she scrambles to open blister packs of medication and scoops the pills in her mouth. She is frightened of something that lurks just outside of her view. Every creak of the boat heightens her anxiety. By the time Mary goes to bed, her sleep is fitful, drenched in sweat, and every fear inside her is etched on her face.

She suddenly opens her eyes, unable to speak or scream… To read the entire blog, head to Killer Shorts Reviews.